What were you trying to do that didn't work?

:: [ 18:47:58 ] :: [   FAIL   ] :: Command 
'rlServiceStart "mysqld"' (Expected 0, got 1)
:: [ 18:47:58 ] :: [  BEGIN   ] :: Running 'service mysqld status'
Redirecting to /bin/systemctl status mysqld.service
● mysqld.service - MySQL 8.4 database server
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/mysqld.service; disabled; preset: disabled)
     Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2025-11-20 18:47:58 UTC; 5ms ago
 Invocation: 4bf99507d98846589e0711603177bae8
    Process: 4015 ExecStartPre=/usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket (code=exited, status=217/USER)
    Process: 4019 ExecStopPost=/usr/libexec/mysql-wait-stop (code=exited, status=217/USER)
   Mem peak: 1.3M
        CPU: 7ms

Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=217/USER
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: Failed to start mysqld.service - MySQL 8.4 database server.
:: [ 18:47:58 ] :: [   FAIL   ] :: Command 'service mysqld status' (Expected 0, got 3)
:: [ 18:47:58 ] :: [   FAIL   ] :: Command 'mysqlStart' (Expected 0, got 3)
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: Starting mysqld.service - MySQL 8.4 database server...
░░ Subject: A start job for unit mysqld.service has begun execution
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit mysqld.service has begun execution.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 2144.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 (k-socket)[3910]: mysqld.service: Failed to determine user credentials: No such process
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 (k-socket)[3910]: mysqld.service: Failed at step USER spawning /usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket: No such process
░░ Subject: Process /usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket could not be executed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ The process /usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket could not be executed and failed.
░░ 
░░ The error number returned by this process is 3.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=217/USER
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ An ExecStartPre= process belonging to unit mysqld.service has exited.
░░ 
░░ The process' exit code is 'exited' and its exit status is 217.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 (ait-stop)[3911]: mysqld.service: Failed to determine user credentials: No such process
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 (ait-stop)[3911]: mysqld.service: Failed at step USER spawning /usr/libexec/mysql-wait-stop: No such process
░░ Subject: Process /usr/libexec/mysql-wait-stop could not be executed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ The process /usr/libexec/mysql-wait-stop could not be executed and failed.
░░ 
░░ The error number returned by this process is 3.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=217/USER
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ An ExecStopPost= process belonging to unit mysqld.service has exited.
░░ 
░░ The process' exit code is 'exited' and its exit status is 217.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ The unit mysqld.service has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: Failed to start mysqld.service - MySQL 8.4 database server.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit mysqld.service has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit mysqld.service has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 2144 and the job result is failed.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 1.
░░ Subject: Automatic restarting of a unit has been scheduled
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ Automatic restarting of the unit mysqld.service has been scheduled, as the result for
░░ the configured Restart= setting for the unit.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: Starting mysqld.service - MySQL 8.4 database server...
░░ Subject: A start job for unit mysqld.service has begun execution
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit mysqld.service has begun execution.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 2255.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 (k-socket)[4015]: mysqld.service: Failed to determine user credentials: No such process
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 (k-socket)[4015]: mysqld.service: Failed at step USER spawning /usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket: No such process
░░ Subject: Process /usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket could not be executed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ The process /usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket could not be executed and failed.
░░ 
░░ The error number returned by this process is 3.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=217/USER
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ An ExecStartPre= process belonging to unit mysqld.service has exited.
░░ 
░░ The process' exit code is 'exited' and its exit status is 217.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=217/USER
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ An ExecStopPost= process belonging to unit mysqld.service has exited.
░░ 
░░ The process' exit code is 'exited' and its exit status is 217.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ The unit mysqld.service has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Nov 20 18:47:58 565a9726-b0d3-4148-a437-33fd63aaeb88 systemd[1]: Failed to start mysqld.service - MySQL 8.4 database server.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit mysqld.service has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit mysqld.service has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 2255 and the job result is failed. 

AI investigation:

● The error is clear: exit status 217/USER means systemd failed to determine user credentials for the mysql user. The error "Failed to determine user credentials: No
 such process" indicates the mysql user doesn't exist in the image.

 Since /usr is read-only in image mode, you can't modify system files or create new users in the traditional way. Here are your options:

 Option 1: Use an overlayfs or tmpfs for writable paths (Recommended)

 Create writable directories for MySQL's runtime needs:

 # Create overlay or temp directories for MySQL
 mkdir -p /var/run/mysqld
 mkdir -p /var/lib/mysql
 chmod 777 /var/run/mysqld
 chmod 777 /var/lib/mysql

 # Start mysqld directly instead of via systemd
 mysqld --user=root --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --socket=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock &

 Option 2: Modify the service file to not require a specific user

 If you have write access to /etc/systemd/system/, create an override:

 mkdir -p /etc/systemd/system/mysqld.service.d/
 cat > /etc/systemd/system/mysqld.service.d/override.conf << EOF
 [Service]
 User=root
 Group=root
 EOF

 systemctl daemon-reload
 systemctl start mysqld

 Option 3: Use a different initialization approach

 Instead of systemd, use a custom script in your test setup:

 # Run MySQL without systemd
 mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables --datadir=/tmp/mysql &
 # or
 mysqld --user=root --datadir=/tmp/mysql --socket=/tmp/mysql.sock &

 For image mode specifically:

 The cleanest approach is to pre-create necessary users and directories during the image build phase (if possible), or use Option 1 to set up temporary writable
 locations at test runtime before starting mysqld.

mariadb works as expected in IM.

What is the impact of this issue to you?

I can't test my components which require mysql

Please provide the package NVR for which the bug is seen:

mysql8.4-8.4.6-2.el10_0

How reproducible is this bug?:

Always

Steps to reproduce

1.  testing-farm request --arch x86_64 --git-url https://gitlab.com/redhat/rhel/tests/perl-DBD-MySQL/ --git-ref master --compose RHEL-10.2-image-mode --context distro=RHEL-10.2 --plan plans/general --context deployment-mode=image --tmt-environment TMT_POLICY_NAME=rhel-ci --no-wait
2.  
3.  

Expected results

Actual results